U.S. patent number 11,123,667 [Application Number 16/004,584] was granted by the patent office on 2021-09-21 for water cooler filter with secure bayonet-type connection.
This patent grant is currently assigned to BHRS GROUP. The grantee listed for this patent is BHRS GROUP. Invention is credited to Jonathan Rubin.
United States Patent |
11,123,667 |
Rubin |
September 21, 2021 |
Water cooler filter with secure bayonet-type connection
Abstract
A filter for a water cooler includes a housing having a surface
and a cavity with cavity ports. The filter end is adapted to be
received in the housing. The filter end includes a cylindrical base
having a surface and a neck extending from the surface. The neck
has filter ports and a side surface. The side surface has
oppositely directed axially extending elongated protrusions
configured to be received in channels in the housing. The base
surface includes a complex set of protrusions which are adapted to
be received in a similarly configured set of recesses in the
housing surface. The protrusions/recesses may take the form of
letters, numbers or symbols. The filter end is be fully seated in
the housing in bayonet-type fashion to connect the filter ports and
the housing ports o permit water to flow through the filter from
the water supply to the water cooler.
Inventors: |
Rubin; Jonathan (Lakewood,
NJ) |
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
BHRS GROUP |
Lakewood |
NJ |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
BHRS GROUP (Lakewood,
NJ)
|
Family
ID: |
67386117 |
Appl.
No.: |
16/004,584 |
Filed: |
June 11, 2018 |
Prior Publication Data
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|
Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
|
US 20190374885 A1 |
Dec 12, 2019 |
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B01D
35/30 (20130101); C02F 1/001 (20130101); B01D
2201/303 (20130101); B01D 2201/4053 (20130101); B01D
2201/52 (20130101); B01D 2201/30 (20130101); B01D
46/0004 (20130101); B01D 2201/4046 (20130101); B01D
2201/291 (20130101); B01D 2201/305 (20130101); B01D
2201/4015 (20130101); B01D 2201/301 (20130101); F25D
2323/121 (20130101); C02F 2307/10 (20130101); F25D
31/002 (20130101); B01D 2201/4061 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B01D
35/30 (20060101); C02F 1/00 (20060101); F25D
31/00 (20060101); B01D 46/00 (20060101) |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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2999315 |
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Sep 2019 |
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CA |
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2999315 |
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Sep 2019 |
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CA |
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2017151481 |
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Sep 2017 |
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WO |
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Other References
CA 3045692 Exam Report, dated Aug. 18, 2020 (5 pages). cited by
applicant .
CA 3045692 Exam Report, dated Feb. 19, 2021 (5 pages). cited by
applicant .
GB1908240.3 Exam Report, dated Jun. 11, 2020 (5 pages). cited by
applicant.
|
Primary Examiner: Stelling; Lucas A
Assistant Examiner: Olivera; Angel
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Lombard & Geliebter LLP
Papageorgiou; Antonio
Claims
I claim:
1. A filter for a water cooler comprising a housing with a cavity
and cavity ports, said filter comprising: an end and an axis, said
filter end comprising: a cylindrical base having a base surface at
least a portion of which extends in a plane perpendicular to said
filter axis; and a filter neck extending from said base surface,
said neck having filter ports and a side surface, said neck having
a bottom section, a lower top section extending upward from the
bottom section, an upper top section extending upward from the
lower top section and dimensionally smaller than the lower top
section, and a plurality of filter ports, said bottom section
having a side surface, said upper top section having a first planar
top surface, said lower top section having a second planar top
surface, said upper top section comprising a planar step extending
upward from the first planar surface and wherein the planar step
forms first and second teeth extending outward from a center of the
upper top section, said first and second teeth comprising a first
and second edge, wherein said first and second edges are parallel
to each other and offset from the center of the upper top section,
said side surface of said neck comprising an elongated protrusion
extending in a direction parallel to said axis, said base surface
comprising an inclined surface portion having one or more
protrusions extending from said inclined surface portion, said
filter end being configured to be received in the housing in
bayonet-type fashion to align said filter ports and the cavity
ports.
2. The filter of claim 1 wherein said one or more protrusions on
said inclined surface portion of said base surface comprises a set
of protrusions selected from the following group: geometric shapes,
geometric shapes, symbols, characters, letters, numbers, words,
logos, designs, and combinations thereof.
3. The filter of claim 1 wherein said one or more protrusions on
said inclined surface portion of said base surface comprise letters
which spell a word.
4. The filter of claim 1 wherein said one or more protrusions on
said inclined surface portion of said base surface comprise a
symbol representing a designation of origin.
5. The filter of claim 1 wherein said one or more protrusions on
said inclined surface portion of said base surface extend along
said inclined surface portion of said base surface.
6. The filter of claim 1 wherein said at least a portion of said
base surface is convex.
7. The filter of claim 1 wherein said base surface surrounds said
neck.
8. The filter of claim 1 wherein said side surface of said neck
extends in a direction parallel to said filter axis.
9. The filter of claim 1 wherein said side surface of said neck has
a bottom edge at an intersection of the side surface with the
bottom surface and a top edge opposite the bottom edge and wherein
said elongated protrusion extends from said bottom edge of said
side surface of said neck.
10. The filter of claim 1 wherein said side surface of said neck
has a bottom edge at an intersection of the side surface with the
bottom surface and a top edge opposite the bottom edge and wherein
said elongated protrusion extends from a location proximate said
bottom edge toward said top edge.
11. The filter of claim 1 configured to cooperate with a housing
associated with the water cooler, said housing comprising: a
surface, a cavity with cavity ports, said housing cavity being
configured to receive said filter end neck and comprising a cavity
wall adapted to align with said side surface of said filter neck,
said housing surface comprising one or more recesses, said cavity
wall comprising a channel through which said elongated protrusion
passes as said filter end is inserted into said housing such that
said base surface abuts said housing surface and said filter end
can be rotated relative to said housing, said housing surface being
configured to cooperate with said inclined surface portion of said
base surface such that said one or more recesses can be aligned
with and receive said one or more protrusions, wherein said filter
end is fully seated into said housing with said filter ports
aligned with said cavity ports.
12. The filter of claim 1 said lower top section comprising: a
second planar step extending upward from the second planar surface
and wherein the second planar step forms third and fourth teeth
extending outward from a center of the lower top section, said
third and fourth teeth comprising a third and fourth edge, wherein
said third and fourth edges are parallel to each other and offset
from the center of the lower top section, and wherein said first
and third edges are colinear and said second and fourth edges are
colinear.
13. The filter of claim 1 said cavity in the housing comprising an
upper chamber and lower chamber, wherein the upper chamber is
configured to receive the upper top section of the neck and the
lower chamber is configured to receive the lower top section of the
neck.
14. The filter of claim 1 wherein said upper top section further
has a groove separating the first planar surface from the second
planar top surface.
15. The filter of claim 14 wherein the groove separating the first
planar surface from the second planar top surface extends
circumferentially about the upper top section.
16. The filter of claim 1 wherein said lower top section further
has a groove separating the second planar top surface from the
bottom section.
17. The filter of claim 16, wherein the groove separating the
second planar top surface from the bottom section extends
circumferentially about the lower top section.
18. The filter of claim 1 wherein at least one of the plurality of
filter ports is disposed on the planar step extending upward from
the first planar surface.
19. The filter of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of
filter ports is disposed on the second planar step extending upward
from the second planar surface.
20. The filter of claim 13 wherein the housing comprises an upper
tooth stop extending inward toward a center of the upper chamber
and a lower tooth stop extending inward toward a center of the
lower chamber, wherein the upper tooth stop is configured to engage
either of the first and second edges of the first and second teeth,
and the lower tooth stop is configured to engage either of the
third and fourth edges of the third and fourth teeth.
21. The filter of claim 20 wherein at least one of the lower and
upper tooth stops have one of said cavity ports therein for
receiving flow from at least one of the plurality of filter ports.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
Not Applicable
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
Not Applicable
REFERENCE TO A "SEQUENCE LISTING", A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM
LISTING APPENDIX SUBMITTED ON COMPACT DISC
Not Applicable
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to water cooler filters of the type
which are connected to the water cooler by inserting an end of the
filter into a cavity in the filter adapter housing associated with
the water cooler in bayonet-type fashion and more particularly to
such a filter with enhanced security which requires two separate
interlocks to properly seat the filter in the housing.
2. Description of Prior Art Including Information Disclosed Under
37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98
The invention relates to a filter for a water cooler of the type
that is connected to the filter adapter housing associated with the
water cooler in bayonet-type fashion. The front end of the filter
is inserted into a cavity in the filter adapter housing and rotated
relative to the housing to align intake and outflow ports in the
filter end with corresponding ports in the housing. Once fully
seated, a fluid tight connection between the filter and the water
cooler is established.
Conventional water filters of this type include a hollow
cylindrical body within which the filter material is situated. The
front end of the filter includes a generally cylindrical base
including a surface extending in a direction perpendicular to the
axis of the filter and a neck which extends from the base surface.
The filter ports are located on the neck.
The housing includes a housing surface extending in a direction
perpendicular to the filter axis and a cavity adapted to receive
the neck of the front end of the filter. The cavity has a shape
corresponding to the shape of the neck. The cavity includes ports
connected to receive unfiltered water from the water supply and
provide filtered water from the filter to the water cooler.
The neck of the filter end is provided with one or more axially
extending elongated projections which are received in corresponding
axially extending channels in the cavity wall as the front end of
the filter is inserted into the housing. Once the front end of the
filter is fully inserted into the cavity such that the base surface
abuts the housing surface, the projections clear the channels and
enter a circumferential channel in the housing cavity such that the
filter can be rotated relative to the housing to a position in
which the filter end is fully seated in the housing and the fluid
connections are made between the filter ports and the housing
ports.
However, while the axially directed projections cooperate with the
channels in the housing to provide an interlock, for some
applications the interlock of conventional filters is not
sufficiently secure. Accordingly, an improved interlock
configuration for a water cooler filter of this type is
desirable.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides an additional interlock which
prevents the front end of the filter from being rotated to its
fully rotated seated position after the first interlock is
interengaged unless the parts of additional interlock are also
interengaged. The second interlock serves the additional purpose of
enhancing the fluid connection between the filter and the housing
to prevent leaking.
In the present invention, the filter cannot be fully seated unless
the parts of a second interlock are interengaged. The second
interlock includes one or more protrusions on a surface of the
filter base which extends in a direction substantially
perpendicular to the axis of the filter. When the filter end is
fully inserted in the housing cavity, the base surface of the
filter abuts a housing surface which also extends in a direction
substantially perpendicular to the filter axis. The housing surface
has one or more recesses which are configured to receive the
protrusions on the base surface, when the filter end is in its
fully rotated position.
The base surface has one or more inclined surface portions from
which protrusions extend. As the filter end is rotated toward its
fully rotated position, the inclined portion of the base surface
causes the filter base to move away from the housing a small
distance to permit the recesses in the housing surface to align
with and receive the protrusions on the inclined portion of the
filter end surface, forming the second interlock. In that fully
rotated position, the filter end is fully seated in the housing,
with the ports in the filter aligned with the ports in the housing,
allowing water to pass through the filter to the water cooler.
The inclined portion of the base surface needs to be inclined only
enough to permit the housing surface to move over the protrusions
on the base surface such that the protrusions can be aligned with
and be received into the recesses. Accordingly, the incline need
only be slightly more than the height of the protrusions on the
base surface. However, without the incline, the filter cannot be
rotated to its fully rotated position and the filter cannot be
properly seated in the housing. so that the housing.
Preferably, the protrusions and the recesses are formed of in
complex sets which must match exactly or the filter cannot be
properly seated in the housing. The protrusions preferably extend
in a generally horizontally pattern along the inclined base surface
portion. The protrusion may extend in an arcuate configuration to
follow the contour of the base surface. The recesses in the housing
surface must follow the same pattern.
The complex set of protrusions and matching recess can be any shape
and size. However, it is desirable that they have a unique shape,
include multiple spaced parts and extend in a linear or arcuate
fashion along the abutting surfaces. Examples of such interlocking
sets may include geometric shapes, symbols, characters of various
types such as letters, numbers or combinations thereof and may form
words, logos, designs and the like.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a filter is
provided for a water cooler of the type having a housing with a
cavity and cavity ports. The filter includes an end. The end of the
filter has a substantially cylindrical base. The filter base has a
base surface and a neck extending from the base surface. The neck
has filter ports and a side surface. The side surface of the neck
includes an elongated protrusion. The base surface includes an
inclined surface portion having one or more protrusions. The filter
end is configured to be received in the housing in bayonet-type
fashion to align the filter ports and the ports of the cavity.
One or more protrusions extend from the inclined base surface
portion and preferably take the form of a complex set of
protrusions selected from the following group: geometric shapes,
symbols, characters of various types such as letters, numbers or
combinations thereof and may form words, logos, designs and the
like. The complex set of protrusions may include letters which
spell a word or a symbol representing a designation of origin,
The base surface extends in a direction substantially perpendicular
to the axis of the filter. It surrounds the neck. The base surface
may be convex.
The side surface of the neck extends in a direction substantially
parallel to said filter axis. The elongated protrusion extends
along the side surface from the bottom edge of the side surface of
the neck or may extend from a location proximate the bottom edge
toward the top edge.
The filter is designed to be used in combination with a housing
associated with the water cooler. The housing has surface and a
cavity with cavity ports. The cavity is configured to receive the
neck of filter end. It includes a cavity wall adapted to align with
the side surface of the filter neck. The cavity wall has a channel
adapted to receive the elongated protrusion on the filter neck as
the filter end is inserted into the housing. Once the filter end is
fully inserted into the housing cavity, the elongated protrusion
clears the channel and the filter end can be rotated relative to
the housing. As the filter end is rotated, the housing surface
cooperates with the inclined base surface portion to allow the
protrusions and recesses to align. Once aligned, the protrusions
are received in the recesses and the filter end is fully seated in
the housing. In the fully seated position, the filter ports are
aligned with the cavity ports.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a
filter is provided for a water cooler of the type that has a
housing having a surface, a cavity and cavity ports. The filter has
an end. The filter end includes a substantially cylindrical base
having a base surface and a neck extending from the base surface.
The neck has filter ports and a side surface. The side surface of
the neck has first and second spaced elongated protrusions. The
base surface has first and second inclined surface portions. Each
of the inclined surface portions has a set of one or more
protrusions. The filter end is configured to be received in the
housing in bayonet-type fashion to align the filter ports and the
cavity ports.
Each of the sets of protrusions takes the form of a complex sets of
protrusions selected from the following group: geometric shapes,
symbols, characters of various types such as letters, numbers or
combinations thereof and may form words, logos, designs and the
like. The protrusions may include letters which spell a word and/or
a symbol representing a designation of origin.
The filter has an axis. The side surface of the neck extends in a
direction substantially parallel to the filter. The side surface
has a bottom edge. The elongated protrusions extend from a location
proximate the bottom edge of the side surface or from a location
proximate the bottom edge toward the top edge of the side
surface.
The filter is designed to be used in combination with a housing
associated with the water cooler. The housing has a surface, a
cavity and cavity ports. The cavity is configured to receive the
neck of the filter end. It has a cavity wall adapted to align with
the side surface of the filter neck. The cavity wall includes first
and second channels adapted to receive the first and second
elongated protrusions, respectively, as the filter end is inserted
into the housing. The housing surface has one or more recesses
adapted to be received in the first and second sets of protrusions,
respectively, after the filter is rotated relative to the housing,
such that the sets of protrusions align with and are received in
the recesses allowing the filter end to be fully seated in the
housing and the filter ports aligned with the cavity ports.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a
filter for a water cooler is provided for use in combination with a
housing associated with the water cooler. The housing includes a
surface, a cavity and cavity ports. The filter has an end. The end
of the filter has a substantially cylindrical base with a base
surface and a neck extending from the base surface. The neck has
filter ports and a side surface. The side surface of the neck has
an elongated protrusion. The base surface includes an inclined
surface portion having one or more complex sets of protrusions. The
cavity includes a cavity wall adapted to align with the side
surface of the filter neck. The cavity wall has a channel adapted
to receive the elongated protrusion as the filter end is inserted
into the housing. The housing surface has one or more complex sets
of recesses and is configured to cooperate with the inclined base
surface portion such that the filter can be rotated to a position
in which the complex sets of protrusions align with and are
received in the complex sets of recesses, such that the filter end
is fully seated in the housing and he filter ports aligned with the
cavity ports.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF DRAWINGS
To these and to such other objects that may hereinafter appear, the
present invention relates to a water cooler filter with secure
bayonet-type connection as described in detail in the following
specification and recited in the annexed claims, taken together
with the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals refer to
like parts and in which:
FIG. 1 is an exploded view of the filter canister, filter end,
housing and cap;
FIG. 2 is an elevation view of the front end of the filter;
FIG. 3 is an isometric view of the filter end showing the top,
front and side;
FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the filter end;
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the housing showing the bottom,
front and left side;
FIG. 6 is a bottom plan view of the housing; and
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the housing showing the bottom,
rear and right side.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
As seen in FIG. 1, the filter assembly includes a hollow, generally
cylindrical filter canister, generally designated A, designed to
retain filter material through which water supplied to the water
cooler (not shown) will pass before being cooled and dispensed by
the water cooler. Canister A has an open top and a central
axis.
The front end of the filter assembly, generally designated B, is
designed to be permanently fixed to the open top of canister A.
Filter front end B has entrance and exit ports which allow
unfiltered water to enter the filter and filtered water to exit the
filter.
Front end B of the filter is configured to be received in a
housing, generally designated C. Housing C has inlet and outlet
ports which, when the front end B of the filter is fully seated in
the housing will align with the entrance and exit ports of the
filter such that unfiltered water can flow through the housing into
the filter and filtered water can flow from the housing to the
water cooler (not shown) with which the housing is associated.
A cap, generally designated D, is configured to be received over
the housing. Cap D is designed to "snap-fit" over the housing to
protect the housing.
A bracket 10 is provided to support the filter assembly on a wall
of the water cooler. The bracket includes first and second arms 12,
14 which extend upwardly from the body of the bracket. The upper
ends of the bracket arms 12, 14 are curved to accept tubular parts
16, 18, respectively, which extend in opposite directions from a
tube 20, the end of which is situated on the top of housing C. Tube
20 contains the ends of water intake and outflow pipes 22 and 24
which supply unfiltered water to the housing and transfer filtered
water from housing to the water cooler.
Cap D has a side opening 26 to accommodate tube 20. Tube 20 extends
through the side opening 26 of the cap when the cap is situated on
the housing.
Referring now to FIGS. 2-4, filter end B includes a generally
cylindrical base 28 which has a surface 30. Surface 30 extends in a
direction substantially perpendicular to the axis of the filter.
Surface 30 may be planar but is preferably slightly convex, as
illustrated in the preferred embodiment shown in the figures.
Protruding upwardly from surface 30 of base 28 is a generally
cylindrical neck, generally designated 38. Surface 30 surrounds
neck 38. Neck 38 has various sections configured to cooperate with
the contours of a cavity, generally designated 40, in housing C.
Cavity 40 is best seen in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 which show the underside
of the housing.
The top portion of neck 38 includes two sections with generally
planar top surfaces 42 and 44. Two water entrance ports 46 are
situated in surface section 42. A single water exit port 48 is
situated in surface section 44.
Neck 38 also has a side surface 50 which extends in direction
substantially parallel to the axis of the filter. Protruding
outwardly from opposed locations on neck surface 50 are spaced
elongated protrusions 52, only one of which is visible in the
figures. The other protrusion 52 is hidden in the figures but is
preferably situated half way around surface 50 from the visible
protrusion 52.
Protrusions 52 each extend in the axial direction along surface 50
from the bottom edge of side surface 50 or a location proximate the
bottom edge of the side surface, toward the top edge of the side
surface. The elongated protrusions extend only a part of the way up
the side surface.
Protrusions 52 on the filter end B cooperate with channels 54 of
cavity 40 in housing C to form a first interlock. In order for neck
38 of filter end B to be inserted into cavity 40 of housing C, the
filter is rotated relative to housing C until elongated protrusions
52 in the side surface of the neck align with channels 54 in the
cavity wall, the latter being seen in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7. Once that
occurs, the protrusions pass through the aligned channels as the
filter end is moved in the axial direction into the cavity, until
base surface 30 abuts surface 56 on the housing. Surface 56 of the
housing extends in a direction which is substantially perpendicular
with the axis of the filter.
Base surface 30 has two spaced inclined surface portions 32 on
opposite sides of the base. Each of those portions carry one or
more protrusions. Preferably, each of the one or more protrusions
includes a complex set of protrusions, generally designated E. As
illustrated, the complex set of protrusions E form a logo and the
word AVALON, for example.
In the fully inserted position, base surface 30 abuts housing
surface 56 and the filter can be rotated towards its fully rotated
position. As the filter is rotated, housing surface 56 cooperates
with the inclined base surface portions 32 of the base surface to
move the housing surface 56 away from the base surface 30a small
distance to allow the recesses on housing surface 56, generally
designated F, to align with and receive the protrusions E on base
surface 30. Protrusions E and recesses F are configured to be
identical in shape, size and layout as the recesses such that when
the protrusions are aligned with the recesses, the protrusions will
be received in the recesses and allow base surface 30 to again abut
housing surface 56.
The height of the protrusions is small and thus the incline of the
base surface portions 32 may also be small, only enough to allow
the housing surface to move away from the base surface such that
the protrusions and recesses can aligned.
See seen in FIG. 6, the housing cavity 40 configured to receive
neck 38. Cavity 40 has a chamber 40a and a chamber 40b. Chamber 40a
is situated at the top of the housing and has a smaller diameter
than chamber 40b to accept the smaller diameter top portion of the
neck. Chamber 40b has a larger diameter and is configured to
receive the larger bottom portion of the neck. The cavity is
contoured to tightly accept the neck when the filter end is
inserted into the housing in order to isolate the chambers 40a and
40b.
Port 48 in surface 44 of neck 38 is connected to chamber 40a when
the filter end is received in the housing. An opening 60 in the
wall of chamber 40a connects the chamber to pipe 22 of tube 20.
Ports 46 in surface 42 of neck 38 are connected to chamber 40b when
the filter end is received in the housing. An opening 62 in the
wall of chamber 40b connects chamber 40b and pipe 24. Chambers 40a
and 40b are isolated from each other by neck 38 such that
unfiltered water must pass through the filter material in the
canister to get from the entrance port to the exit port of the
filter. In order to do that, the parts of both interlocks must be
interengaged such that the filter can be rotated to its fully
rotated position and fully seated within the housing.
When the protrusions of each of the protrusion sets E are aligned
with the recesses in each of the sets of recesses F, the filter end
is locked in the housing. In the position, the filter ports and the
housing ports are aligned and sealed to each other. Unfiltered
water can then freely move from the supply, through the filter
assembly and to the water cooler to be cooled and dispensed.
While the complex sets of protrusions/recesses which form the
second interlock can be formed of in any pattern, as long as they
are suitably complex, it is preferred that the individual parts be
separated by spaces and be selected from the following group:
geometric shapes, symbols, characters of various types such as
letters, numbers or combinations thereof and may form words, logos,
designs and the like.
In the preferred embodiment of the present invention illustrated in
the figures, the second interlock is shown as spaced letters which
form the word AVALON preceded by a symbol in the form of a logo, by
way of example.
Referring generally to FIGS. 1-7, in one embodiment, a filter for a
water cooler is provided that includes a housing C and a filter end
B having an axis. Housing C includes a housing surface 56 defining
a cavity 40 in the housing with a plurality of cavity ports 60, 62
therein, and one or more recesses F on the housing surface 56.
Filter end B includes a substantially cylindrical base 28, a base
surface 30, and a neck 38 extending from base surface 30. Base
surface 30 extends in a plane substantially perpendicular to the
filter end axis.
Neck 38 has a bottom section 70, a lower top section 72 extending
upward from the bottom section 70, an upper top section 74
extending upward from the lower top section 72 and dimensionally
smaller (e.g., smaller diameter) than the lower top section 72, and
a plurality of filter ports 48, 46. The bottom section has a side
surface, the upper top section 74 has a first planar top surface
76, and the lower top section 72 has a second planar top surface
78.
The upper top section 74 includes a planar step 80 extending upward
from the first planar surface 76. Step 80 forms first and second
teeth 84, 86 extending outward from a center (e.g., axis) of the
upper top section 74. First and second teeth 84, 86 include a first
and second edge 96, 98. First and second edges 96, 98 include
planar surfaces that are parallel to each other and offset from the
center of the upper top section 74. The planar surfaces may be
orthogonal to the first planar surface 76 and/or the planar step
80.
The lower top section 72 includes a planar step 82 extending upward
from the second planar surface 78. Step 82 forms third and fourth
teeth extending outward from a center of the lower top section.
Third and fourth teeth 88, 90 include a third and fourth edge 100,
102. Third and fourth edges 100, 102 include planar surfaces that
are parallel to each other and offset from the center of the lower
top section 72. Similarly, the planar surfaces of may be orthogonal
to the second planar surface 78 and/or the planar step 82. First
and third edges 96, 100 may be colinear, and second and fourth
edges 98, 102 may be colinear, as shown in the figures.
Base surface 28 includes one or more inclined surface portions 32,
34 that include one or more base surface protrusions E extending
from the one or more inclined surface portions. The one or more
recesses F on the housing surface 56 are configured to receive the
one or more base surface protrusions E.
The cavity in housing 40 includes an upper chamber 40a and lower
chamber 40b. The upper chamber 40a is configured to receive the
upper top section of neck 74 and the lower chamber 40b is
configured to receive the lower top section of neck 72.
Filter end B is configured to be received in the housing C in
bayonet-type fashion to align the plurality of filter ports 48, 46
with the plurality of cavity ports 60, 62.
In one embodiment, the one or more base surface protrusions E
includes at least one of geometric shapes, symbols, alphanumeric
characters, words, logos and designs.
In one embodiment, base surface 30 is convex and surrounds neck
38.
In one embodiment, upper top section 74 has a groove 92 separating
the first planar surface 76 from the second planar top surface
78.
In one embodiment, groove 92 separating the first planar surface 76
from the second planar top surface 78 extends circumferentially
about the upper top section 74.
In one embodiment, lower top section 72 has a groove 94 separating
the second planar top surface 78 from the bottom section 70.
In one embodiment, groove 94 separating the second planar top
surface 78 from the bottom section 70 extends circumferentially
about the lower top section 72.
In one embodiment, at least one of the plurality of filter ports is
disposed on the planar step 80 extending upward from the first
planar surface 76.
In one embodiment, at least one of the plurality of filter ports is
disposed on the planar step 82 extending upward from the second
planar surface 78.
In one embodiment, one or more recessed side surface portions 52
extends in a direction substantially parallel to the filter end
axis and includes a bottom edge and a top edge. One or more
elongated protrusion 52 extends from the bottom edge of the one or
more recessed side surface portions toward the top edge of the one
or more recessed side surface portions.
In one embodiment, the housing comprises an upper tooth stop 104
extending inward toward a center of the upper chamber and a lower
tooth stop 106 extending inward toward a center of the lower
chamber. The upper tooth stop 104 is configured to engage either of
the first and second edges 96, 98 of the first and second teeth,
and the lower tooth stop 106 is configured to engage either of the
third and fourth 100, 102 edges of the third and fourth teeth.
In one embodiment, at least one of the lower and upper tooth stops
have an opening therein 62 for receiving flow from at least one of
the plurality of filter ports.
In one embodiment, the housing cavity is configured to receive the
filter end neck and has a cavity wall adapted to align with the
side surface of the filter end neck. The cavity wall includes a
channel through which the one or more elongated protrusions pass as
filter end neck 38 is inserted into the housing such that the base
surface abuts the cavity wall and the filter end neck 38 can be
rotated relative to the housing. The housing surface is configured
to cooperate with the one or more inclined surface portion of the
base surface such that the one or more recesses can be aligned with
and receive the one or more base surface protrusions. The filter
end neck 38 is fully seated into the housing with the plurality of
filter ports aligned with the plurality of cavity ports.
In one embodiment, the side surface of the neck includes one or
more elongated protrusions 52.
While only a single preferred embodiment of the present invention
hse been disclosed for purposes of illustration, it is obvious that
many modifications and variations could be made thereto. It is
intended to cover all of those modifications and variations which
fall within the scope of the present invention, as defined by the
following claims:
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